Strategic Design as a Driver for New Thinking and Practice in Core Business Functions

Abstract

This paper discusses how design can be used strategically to push the boundaries and come up with new thinking and practice in four core business functions, namely branding, strategic management, organizational policy and innovation development. The paper reviews literatures in relevant fields and examines four case studies. In all cases, the problematic situations will be explained, followed by the design research processes and the proposed solutions. Based on the analysis of all cases, the way in which design could be used to overcome existing boundaries and introduce new ideas can be categorized into three aspects. Firstly, design thinking provides a useful approach for examining problematic situations in a holistic way. Secondly, creative thinking, which is an integral part of design, helps solve problems and create solutions to current practices. Finally, the human-centered nature of design ensures that outcomes match different stakeholders’ requirements, which could help speed up the acceptance process.